Sudbury sports awards committee unveils list of nominees

Lo-Ellen Park senior Nordic skiers display their OFSAA senior combined championship banner. Because the girls team won double gold at the event, coaches joked they "carried the boys to victory," as demonstrated in the photo.Photo supplied

Cora Babij will be honoured for her tireless efforts in local girls hockey, while Frank Apolloni will be recognized for his behind-the-scenes contributions to amateur boxing at the Greater Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Dinner and Awards, to be held at the Caruso Club on June 12.

Babij and Apolloni were announced as recipients of Volunteer of the Year Awards, while nominees in 10 categories were also named by the awards committee on Tuesday.

Laurentian University basketball guard Kadre Gray is nominated once again for import athlete of the year, alongside fellow hoopster Braylon Rayson, a guard for the Sudbury Five and National Basketball League of Canada MVP, as well as Sudbury Wolves goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Braylon Rayson, left, of the Sudbury Five, looks for a teammate as Isaiah Tate II, of the St. John’s Edge, guards him during playoff basketball action at the Sudbury Community Arena in Sudbury, Ont. on Friday April 12, 2019.John Lappa/Sudbury Star/Postmedia Network

Amateur Female Athlete of the Year nominees include some star student-athletes at the OUA level, including Marianne Alarie in basketball and Karli Shell in hockey, as well as Kira Brunton in curling, along with Special Olympics gold-medallist powerlifter Josee Seguin.

Nominees for Sheridan Family Team of the Year are the Team Croisier curling rink of Bella Croisier, Jamie Smith, Piper Croisier, Lauren Rajala and coach Shawn Croisier, as well as the Laurentian rink of Brunton, Megan Smith, Alyssa Denyer, Mikaela Cheslock, Emma Johnson and coach Lafreniere, the Sudbury Five basketball team and the Sudbury Lady Wolves midget AA hockey club.

Players from the Sudbury Lady Wolves celebrate a goal against the Saskatoon Stars during action at the Esso Cup at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury, Ont. on Wednesday April 24, 2019.John Lappa/Sudbury Star/Postmedia Network /
John Lappa/Sudbury Star

For the Bill Roman Administration Award, nominees are Mike Martyn from the Sudbury District Hockey Officials Association and Dan Welch from the Northern Water Sports Centre, as well as the 2018 Telus Cup host committee.

The sports awards committee decided the organizing committee for the 2019 Esso Cup, which recently took place in Sudbury, will be considered for the award next year.

For High School Female Athlete of the Year, nominees are Lauren Fearn from Lo-Ellen Park, Hannah Nykilchyk from Lockerby and Ariane Saumure from Macdonald-Cartier.

On the High School Male Athlete side, Mike Babcock from Lasalle Secondary and Kurtis Wennerstrom are the nominees.

Up for Dr. Fred Sheridan High School Team of the Year honours are a pair of teams from Lo-Ellen Park, the Nordic ski squad and the track and field crew.

Inductees into the Greater Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame will also be recognized at the June 12 dinner, which starts at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for the event cost $60 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under and are available at the House of Kin in Sudbury at 705-566-3600 or from Chris Sheridan at 705-522-9682.

The Laurentian University women”s curling team of Kira Brunton, Megan Smith, Alyssa Denyer, Emma Johnson, Mikaela Cheslock and coach Ryan Lafraniere won gold at the 2019 U Sports national championships in Frederiction, N.B. The championship was Laurentian’s second in three years.Photo supplied